How Many Alan Ayckbourn Characters Does it Take to Change a Lightbulb?
The answer – at least according to Absurd Person Singular – is six: one to attempt suicide with an exposed light-fitting and five others to remain so blithely wrapped up in their own affairs that they fail to notice.
Directed by Rod Fitton, our production of the play runs from January 31st to February 7th and all the action takes place in the kitchen of one of the three couples on three successive Christmas Eves.
At the first party, thrown by suburbanites Sidney and Jane Hopcroft, (Julian Smith and Liz Travis) housing developer Sidney is looking to make a good impression on his guests, banker Ronald Brewster-Wright (Ian Perks) and architect Geoffrey Jackson (John Weetman). Jane, though, is more interested in making her kitchen spotless, and the party peters out when she has to run through the rain to the store for tonic and gets locked out of the house.
A year later, it’s Geoffrey and his pill-popping wife, Eva (Jo Weetman), who are hosting the Christmas Eve party in their flat, except they haven’t prepared properly because Geoffrey has just told Eva that he’s leaving her. Eva reacts by trying to kill herself, in five different ways, while her guests gather in the kitchen, mostly oblivious to what she’s doing.
Finally, we visit the Victorian home of Ronald and his wife, Marion (Jill Woods). There’s no party in prospect this year: Ronald’s bank is failing, he can’t afford to heat the house, and Marion is drunk in her bedroom. But first Geoffrey, who’s also gone bust, and Eva, who’s still with him, drop by to commiserate, and then Sidney and Jane, successful and dressed to the nines, arrive to make these upper-class failures dance to their middle-class tune.
Those who enjoy witty comedy combined with hilarious chaos – plus just an echo of The Good Life – will love Absurd Person Singular. It has everything, including the kitchen sink!
Early booking recommended http://www.saddleworthplayers.org.uk
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